Bogota (Colombia), Sr. Ana Francisca Vergara Abril, December 22, 2024.- This Advent let us make our way with the images that the psalms of the four Sundays offer us.
Sal 80:2-3.15-16.18-19
Shepherd of Israel, listen,
You who sit on cherubim, shine forth;
Awaken your power and come to save us.
God of the universe, turn to me:
Look down from heaven, behold,
come and visit your vineyard.
Tend the vine that Your right hand has planted,
and the son of man whom You have strengthened.
May Your hand protect Your chosen one,
the man whom You have strengthened.
We will not turn away from you:
Give us life so that we may call on your name.
Come, we have been waiting for you! It is beautiful to hear these words addressed to us: we have been waiting for you, come quickly! It is a request that expresses need and hope, urgency and joy; it is a joyful and willing waiting. When someone is welcomed, the place is prepared in detail.
We say come to those whom we trust, to those whom we let into our house and into our interior. There are many actions that follow the verb to come: "come and...". After inviting someone to come to us, we often say come and let's have coffee, come and let's talk, come and I'll tell you, come and you'll see, come and you'll know where I live and who I am.
Come, we are waiting for you!" is the deepest expression of Advent. Are we aware of it? How are we preparing our physical and inner homes to welcome the coming Emmanuel?
Elizabeth awaited the visit in the depths of her soul; Mary arrives unexpectedly at the home of Zacharias and is greeted with shouts of joy. Each visit marks the life of the host and the one who is welcomed, it is the meeting of two wills: the one who wants to welcome and the one who wants to come.
The Lord always wants to come to us, the question is: do I want to welcome him?
Blessed is the welcome of the Lord in our communities and in our homes, may his presence radiate peace and joy in our lives. Merry Christmas!